Pin Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I daresay it has been done before but I have been wondering how people view their experiences with the numerous source countries and factories that have made Epiphones over the years. I am excluding all USA made Epiphones and I am going to take it as a given that - generally - Japan made Epiphones are second only to USA made guitars. Of course, some people may disagree with this. However, what next? Is it Korea? If so, what factory? My own experience of four Epiphone guitars (three Chinese) is my one Korean (G400) is easily the best made of the bunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burchster Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I just bought an indonesian built dove that is top notch! But my chinese sheraton is also really well built. Sweetwater has some cherry indonesian Dots I would like to try also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Can't speak about other facilities but my Les Paul 1960 Tribute Plus Outfit of Chinese origin is a great guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 There is no definitive answer to that question. I have found great Epi guitars that were made in China, Korea, and Indonesia. I have found poorly made Epi guitars that were made in China, Korea, and Indonesia. Depends on the year. Depends on the factory. The weather that day.... Who was off that day....... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 There is no definitive answer to that question. ... Depends on ... Who was off that day....... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Japan, consistently...IMHO! But, the other's are quite capable, and are getting better=more consistent at it, all the time. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Japan, consistently...IMHO! CB Yes, I thought about that later on. The Elitist series are by far the best made Epis you'll ever find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggy Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I think it depends on how you define what you are looking for. Do you mean which country has produced the finest cosmetic example? or Which one has the least variability in quality? or are we talking about playability/sound/whatever (a guitar may be cosmetically substandard but play and sound fantastic) My Chinese LP looks fabulous externally, sound and plays incredibly, cavity routes are really rough. My Chinese Dot Studio is clean inside and out, plays great and sounds great. My Indonesian EJ200CE sounds and plays great but higher bracket instruments will out perform it but both internal and external fit and finish (especially the internal) is up there quite comfortably with the likes of Martin, Taylor and Gibson. I'm not saying the wood quality is the same but the workmanship certainly is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggy Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Yes, I thought about that later on. The Elitist series are by far the best made Epis you'll ever find. Depends which ones you are talking about. If we were discussing acoustics I'd happily stack my Indonesian EJ200CE against any Masterbuilt or US model in terms of build quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not-Too-Late Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 No issue whatsoever with my Made in China LP Standard. The fit and finish is awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 from where I'm sittin', USA. Just wish they'd make more often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Depends on the year. Depends on the factory. The weather that day.... Who was off that day....... Right. More generally, it's an evolving thing. As Chinese factories keep making Epiphones, year after year, they just keep getting better and better. I have three Chinese-made Epi's, two from 2013, and they're excellent looking and sounding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 My answer would be, the country that made the Epi that's most bonded to you. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 To me, again, just my opinion, but the persons who make Epiphone guitars..the machine operators, assemblers, painters, hand crafters that do the small things to make a fine instrument for us, the people that order parts in the factory and do the planing for the day to day production runs, as well as the sales and marketing people make Epiphone great. Wherever they are made seems like everyone is working to bring us great guitars, at the right price Not much of a presence on the Epiphone web site...lol, just Facebook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonCarlos Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I agree with Crust take on it. But may I add my observation as well….. I also think that time passing becomes an issue that sometimes lend to viewing guitars in different light. -In the 70's we viewed the Japan guitars as inferior products. Cheap rip offs. Now look at the Fenders and Epiphones and lawsuit guitars. -Same in the 80's, Korea guitars? No way. Now my Casino is considered a prize because it is from Peerless factory. -90's Same with Epi in Korea still and Fender starts producing guitars in Mexico. I thought it was a joke…..now people are wanting MIM -2000's China/Mexico and now Indonesia? When factories move to Thailand and India or where ever,,,,,,we will prize the Chinese and Indonesian guitars too. Epiphone, Fender, and other notables, have a design and standard, when followed, can produce great guitars no matter where, The day of the week, the shift involved, the quality control, determines what factory produces a decent guitar, no matter the location. We are the ones that attach the romantic factor of where and when it was made. Is your Chinese Casino as good as mine? Probably is. And in he same vein, ever play a crappy and hastily made USA Epiphone or USA Gibson? Oh, I have. Point is, if you are holding a guitar that plays well and is solidly built, and you enjoy it, doesn't matter where it came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Marlowe Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I own a MiM Fender Jazz bass and it is phenomenal. One of the best basses I've ever played, and I got it used for $300. Easily worth $600 to $1000 in terms of quality and playability. My 2011 Chinese made Epiphone SG Special is fantastic. Bound fretboard, great sounding pickups, very well finished. I honestly think the three frets that were sitting high were because it was stored in a warehouse for 3 years in sub-optimal conditions (I'm looking at you Guitar Center). I'd like to add to the previous comment on the workers who make out guitars over there doing a great job. Someone at Epiphone woke up about 5 or 10 years ago and realized that one of the biggest problems on Epiphones was crappy pickups and started working to fix that. And it shows. So whoever was the mover and shaker there, I owe you a pizza and a beer because the P-90 pickups in my SG are outstandingly good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted May 31, 2014 Author Share Posted May 31, 2014 because the P-90 pickups in my SG are outstandingly good. Interesting. I thought the Chinese P90s in my 1960 Les Paul Tribute were crap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yggdrasil Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 All 3 of mine (2 Casady basses and a Jorma Riviera Sig) are Korean and are great. So I have to vote Korean, but with no experience of the others, so a big YMMV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 Pin... I think your comment on the P90s another likes is an interesting one in that so much of what makes a given instrument pleasing to one individual may in fact make it unattractive to another. Actually I've only had one electric that I disliked for its pups - and that wasn't an Epi. On the other hand, I've also asked myself whether the neck was the deciding factor in dumping it or the "muddy" pups. In retrospect I didn't care for either. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfrets Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 My experience with offshore Epihones is that yes, the Japanese built instruments were second only to the US built stuff. A VERY close second to Japan are the Saein built Korean guitars. Consistently solid builds, excellent playability, good looking, affordable guitars. Felt like the Les Pauls they were supposed to be. If I were looking for a used Epi LP, these are what I'd be looking for (had 4 of them - all top notch at their price point). Can only make general observations about the Chinese made stuff as I've never owned one. I understand they made great strides in the period they were built there, but their intial efforts were truly horrible, nasty guitars. I was looking for an Epi LP for my son's 8th grade graduation back in 2008 and I checked out a Chinese made Lp from the DaeWon factory. It appeared to have been assembled from aged panda dung, radio parts left over from WWII and put together by a cross-eyed chimp with a drinking problem after a 3-day bender. It was truly THAT bad. Ended up giving him my Korean amberburst. Heard things were much improved when Epiphone actually started directing operations at QuingDao instead of just sub-contracting the work to other factories. The Honeyburst Plus Top Pro I bought in March is also a damned fine guitar & IIRC, it was built in Indonesia. I assume the move was cost driven but the only thing I can say that might be construed as a negative is that it's shockingly light for being a Les Paul. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm guessing it's due to lighter density wood being used. Still, it plays wonderfully, the Epi pickups actually sing pretty sweetly and it looks fantastic. For the price, it's definitely a winner. But ultimately, we'll each have our own opinions & experiences so that makes the answers to the question pretty subjective. I'd suggest if it feels good, play it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 Japan, consistently...IMHO! But, the other's are quite capable, and are getting better=more consistent at it, all the time. CB My experience with offshore Epihones is that yes, the Japanese built instruments were second only to the US built stuff. ... No Epiphone from Japan here, but two Ibanez from 1982 and 1986, and one Fender made in 2012. Their craftmanship is definitely amazing, simply perfect. They were made as they should be, as if the makers built them for themselves. Before buying her new in 1987, the imprint "THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF CRAFTMANSHIP" on the headstock of my Ibanez RG430 made me smile for a moment, but this guitar still is just that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Most of the Epiphone guitars I presently own are MIC, so, at this point in time, I'd say MIC...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Marlowe Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Interesting. I thought the Chinese P90s in my 1960 Les Paul Tribute were crap! What year was you Tribute made in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 The guitars made for Epiphone by the Terada factory in Japan have been outstanding. These would include the Elitist semi & hollow body electrics, as well as Elitist acoustics. About the only build quality issue that separates these instruments from a Gibson is the poly vs nitro finish - but some Terada Epiphones did have nitro finishes, including the "Assembled in USA" John Lee Hooker '64 Sheraton, the two versions of the AIUSA '65 John Lennon Casino, and the Paul McCartney '64 Texan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 What year was you Tribute made in? So far as I can make out it was 2010. I presume Chinese but the number doesn't really indicate. One big mistake above is that I was talking about my Gold Top 1956 Tribute (not the 1960 which has Gibson humbuckers) It is probably going too far to call them crap. The pole pieces were all over the place and the signal strength was way off for some strings but that's correctable. I found them a little harsh in not such a good way (I expect P90's to ring clear / growl) and so they got changed (as did everything else electric) and the nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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